Combined display tray and container



4 F.iP. MUI -ll .l-IAU$ER 2,331,493 I COMBINED DISPLAY TRAY AHD CONTAINER Filed filly 31, 1940 Patented Get. 12, 1943 COMBINED DISPLAY TRAY AND CONTAINER Frederick P. lfluhlhauser, Rochester, N. Y., as-

signor, by mesneassignments, to Superba Cravats, Rochester, N. Y., a copartnership consisting of Herman M. Oohn, Julian Wiley, Sr., Harold Shrier, Harry S.'Cohn, Irving Lerner, Julian' Wiley, Jr., H.

Mulhauser W. vLewine, and said Application July 31, 1940, Serial No. 348,766

2 Claims.

This invention relates to an improved means for displaying and packaging neckties and the like.

The manufacturer of neckties who ships neckties to all parts of the country is confronted with the problem of packing the'neckties in such a way that they are received by the purchaser in as good condition as when packed. While various devices have been provided for packing neckties they have not been entirely satisfactory and usually were bulky and expensive to manufacture.

Four-in-hand neckties have an irregular outline and consequently cannot be packed in ordinary rectangular boxes. In the past it has been proposed to provide inserts for use in rectangu lar cardboard boxes which inserts were intended to maintain the ties immovable in the box. However, the boxes were necessarily larger than the ties and had a great deal of waste space, and were often crushed in transit, so that the'ties would be crumpled and wrinkled.

It is accordingly an object of the present invention to provide an improved container in which a plurality of neckties' or the like may be packed and shipped with the possibility ofwrinkling or crumpling reduced to a minimum. It is also an object of this invention to provide as an integral part of the container, a display tray which reinforces the container and provides an attractive as well as convenient means for displaying or storing a number of neckties on store counters or shelves.

It is another object of the present invention to provide an improved container or box in which neckties and the like may be packed with a minimum of waste space, which container is of such shape that pairs thereofmay be snugly packed in standard rectangular shipping cartons.

These and other objects of the invention will appear from the detailed description and the claims when taken with the drawing in which:

Fig. 1 is a perspective view of a container or box made in accordance with the present invention;

Fig. 2 is a perspective view illustrating the manner in which a number of the containers or boxes of the present invention may be stacked, the resulting stack being'rectangular so that it can be placed on a store shelf or in a shipping cartonwithout waste space as shown;

Fig. 3 is a perspective View of a slightly modified form of box showing the endsthereof open to illustrate the details of construction;

Fig. 4 is a plan view of the box shown in Fig.

1 with the cover removed and showing a display tray filled with neckties snugly received in the box; a

Fig. 5 is a vertical section taken substantially on the line 5-5 of Fig. 4 but with the cover applied to the box; I

Fig. 6 is a perspective view of the display tra forming a part of the present invention;

Fig. 7 is a perspective view of a slightly modified display tray; and

Fig. 8 is a side View of a plurality of neckties folded over a cardboard member.

It is the aim of this invention to provide a combined display and shipping device in Which articles such as ties, socks or the like may be packed and shipped in fiat condition without being wrinkled or crumpled in transit. To this end thereis provided a display tray generally indicated 5 which tray is adapted to be snugly received in the box 6.

By reference to Fig. 6 of the drawing, it will be noted that the display tray 5 comprises a base "I which is in the form of a trapezium, the end 8 and 9 thereof, being parallel with each other, while the side edges l0 and H preferably taper symmetrically with respect to the longitudinal axis of the base. The taper ofthe side edges l0 and H is such that theyrare respectively parallel to the tapered edges of the Wide end of a. necktie placed thereon as shown in Fig. 4. That is, the angle between the side edges l0 and. II is substantially equal tothe angle between the tapered edges of the wide end of a necktie. This base is preferably made of ply-wood, although it will be apparent that other substantially rigid materials such as composition, metal, or the like may be used if desired.

The base I has secured thereto a plurality of upright guide members or pegs l2 made of wood. metal, plastic material or the like. are secured. to the base along each of the side edges I0 and II thereof,a total of six pegs being shown, although it will be understood that a greater or lesser number may be used if desired. These pegs are preferably rectangular in crosssection, as shown, and are secured at right angles to the base with their outer surfaces preferably alined with the, adjacent edge of the base.

The pegs may be secured to the base by providing a cylindrical extension l3 on the bottom of each peg, which extension is fastened in suitable holes provided in the base 1.

This display tray is adapted to receive and support in superposed relation a plurality of four-in-hand neckties l4 each of which have These pegs.

been folded to reduce their overall length to approximately one-fourth their original length. The folded neckties are laid flat on the base as shown in Figs. 4 and 5, the spacing between each opposing pair of pegs corresponding to the width of the portion of the wide ortying end of the necktie located between the respective pairs of pegs. Thus, each peg engages the adjacent edge of the stack of ties to maintain the ties in superposed relation. The ties will not readily shift on the tray due to the frictional engagement with the pegs and base. that the pegs l2 prevent the ties from shifting laterally of the base or toward the small end thereof. Further, since the ties'are somewhat resilient they may be slightly compressed by the top or cover of the box 6 in which they are packed and thereby will not readily shift toward the larger end of the base.

In preparing the ties for shipment, it is desirable to secure the ties to the base as by means of a paper band or the like (not shown) which encircles the ties and base. Alternately, a group of ties may be folded over a member I5 made of cardboard or the like, in the manner shown in Fig. 8 before placing them in the display tray. In packing the ties in this manner they are first folded in half and then folded again in half over the end or the cardboard member. The cardboard member is tapered to correspond to the wide end of the neckties and snugly fits between the rows of pegs of the display tray. However, the member is of such length that its broad end engages the wide end of the box 6 while maintaining the folded portions of the ties adjacent the narrow end of the box. A paper band I6 wrapped about the ties retains them on the cardboard insert. 7 i

The box 6 which snugly receives the display tray with the folded neckties stacked thereon is preferably made of cardboard, fiber board or the like. In the'preferred form of the invention the box 6 is not symmetrical about its longitudinal center line although it will be understood that if desired the box may be made symmetrical so that in horizontal section the interior thereof corresponds to the outline of the symmetrical base 1 of the display tray. As shown particularly in Figs. 4 and 5 the box comprises a bottom I1, parallel end walls 18 and i9 and side wall 20 and 2|.

The side wall 20 of the box is at right angles to the parallel end Walls while the side wall 2! is included so that the .two side walls will be substantially parallel to the side edges of the base 1 of the display tray (see Fig. 4) Thus, a in the case of the Side edges of the base 1 th angle between the side walls 20 and 2| of the box is substantially equal to the angle between the tapered edges of the wide endof a necktie. The display tray consequently fits snugly between the side walls of the box and will abut the end walls thereof as indicated at 22 and.23 in .Fig. 4 to prevent the tray from shifting in the box. The box cover 24 has the same general configuration as the box proper but is slightly larger so that its depending side and end walls embrace the walls of the box as shown in Fig. 5.

Due to the peculiar configuration of the box 6, a plurality of these boxes may be stacked-into a compact unit of rectangular outline as shown in Fig. 2. Since the boxes may be arranged in this manner it will be appreciated that they may be stored on shelves or placed in a standard rectangular shipping. carton or box 6a without waste It will be understood I space. Further, since each of the boxes in the stack with the exception of the two lower ones rest on two underlying boxes the boxes are in effect interlocked and the stack will have much greater stability than a stack of rectangular boxes of equal size.

It should be noted that the total height of the display tray is substantially equal to the depth of the box so that the rigid display tray will reinforce the box to prevent it from being readily crushed in use. The base and pegs also serve to reinforce the side and end walls of the box.

In Fig. 3 there has been illustrated a modified box 25 of tubular construction having flaps integral therewith for closing the ends of the box. This modified box has the same configuration as the box 6 to snugly receive the display tray. The blank from which the box 25 is made, is cut to provide flaps 26 at each extremity of the box which may be turned in as shown in Fig. 3 and closing flaps 21 having tabs 28 at the free end thereof for insertion in the box. The flaps 26 and the side walls of the box are preferably creased a indicated at 29 in Fig. 3 so that the box may be folded flat when not in use.

In Fig. 7 there has been illustrated a slightly modified display tray 5' which may comprise a base 30 identical in shape with the base I of the display rack 5 but having inverted U-shaped guide members or rails 31 secured along the side edges thereof. These rails may comprise rods of metal, plastic material or the like, bent or molded to the configuration shown in Fig. 7. These rails may be anchored in the base in any suitable manner as by securing their ends in spaced holes provided in the base. It will be appreciated that these rails will function in the same manner as the pegs l2 to support the ties in superposed relation and to reinforce the box.

While in the preferred form of the invention it is proposed to place a single display tray in a box having the shape shown in Figs. 1 and 3, it will be understood that it is within the scope of the invention to arrange two display trays like those shown in Figs. 6 or 7 within a rectangular box with a minimum of waste space. In this case the rectangular box will be of the same length and height but will be approximately twice as wide as the box illustrated in Fig. l. The trays will be placed in the box in side by side relation with the broad end of each tray adjacent the small end of the other tray.

While the invention has been described with particular reference to packing and displaying Iour-in-hand neckties it will be understood that socks or other similar articles may be packed or displayed in the combined display tray and box.

What I claim is:

1. In combination, a box having side walls and substantially parallel end walls, one of said side walls being disposed at substantially right angles to said end walls, the other side wall being inclined with respect to said one side wall, the angle between said side wall being substantially equal to the angle between the tapered edges of the wide end of a four-in-hand necktie, and a display tray including a base of a size to be snugly received in said box, said base having substantially parallel end edges and side edges which taper ymmetrically with respect to the longitudinal axis of said base, the angle between said side edges being substantially equal to the angle between said side walls of said box and upright guide members on said base at spaced points along each side thereof, the height of said display tray being substantially equal to the depth of said box whereby said base and guide members reinforce said box by engaging respectively the bottom and top thereof.

2. In combination, a box having vertical side wall and substantially parallel vertical end walls, one of said side walls being disposed at substantially right angles to said end walls, the other side wall being inclined with respect to said one side wall, a display tray snugly received in said box, said tray including a base having substantially parallel end edges and side edges which taper symmetrically with respect to the longitudinal axis of said base, the angle between the side walls of said box and the angle between the side edges of said base being substantially equal to the angle between the side edges of the wide end portion of a 'necktie, a plurality of upright guide members in spaced relation on said base adjacent FREDERICK P. MUHLHAUSER. 

